GRANTS - Family members and friends of Shawn Longoria, 22, including his mother and brother, were protesting in Grants on July 29. They held signs that consistently stated 'Longoria is not racist.'

Shawn Longoria's mom being interviewed by a KOAT channel 7 newsman on Wednesday afternoon during a protest in front of the magistrate court building just east of Grants.BEACON / JARAMILLO

Longoria was arrested on June 24 on six counts of aggravated battery, all on Native Americans. He also being charged with aggravated burglary and robbery and is facing 36 years imprisonment and up to $50,000 in fines. Shortly after Longoria's arrest, officials alluded to the press that more arrests were expected, however, after more than one month after the beatings, no other arrests have been made.

“Why just my son?” Longoria's mother asked on Wednesday. “He is not a racist. We have native blood in all of us...”

The mom blamed the media for making her son seem like “some kind of animal” that beats on others and that he hated Native Americans.

According to a police report, Longoria boasted of beating up the men because the Native Americans had gotten Mount Taylor and now they owed him.

Longoria's older brother, Raul, was also standing outside the Cibola County Judicial Complex on old Route 66 in support of the protest.

“My brother is a follower, not a leader,” Raul said. “He was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. His girlfriend had just kicked him out and he was hanging with the wrong crowd and was caught in the middle of a fight. One Native [American] was hitting another with a bat and my brother jumped him to help the one being hit by a bat.”

Raul went on to say that his major concern now is his brother's safety in jail. “I know he was in a fight because he showed me his fat lip during a recent visit and I want to make sure that he is being treated correctly,” the older brother said.

“We have native blood in us. The fight was not racist based.”

Longoria's family and friends were moved from the side of the road to a dirt lot just in front of the court building, “for their own safety,” said Sheriff Johnny Valdez. Valdez and Acting Jail Administrator Frank Salcido visited with the protestors for a short while.

Later in the day the family was protesting in front of City Hall Park on Santa Fe Avenue.

Early the next morning morning, Detective Lt. Maxine Spidle said the Native American beating case is still under investigation and more arrests are still expected. Longoria's charges are currently on hold until he goes through a competency hearing. A hearing has not yet been scheduled.

KOAT channel 7 also interviewed family and friends at the scene.